Alysia Burton Steele, Ph.D.

Traces of Elaine uncovers the life and work of a little-known photographer whose images document the Civil Rights Movement from the inside. Drawing from more than 5,000 previously unseen negatives, oral histories, and archival research, the book reconstructs Tomlin’s story and the communities she photographed—revealing both the movement’s well-known leaders and the everyday people whose courage shaped history.

 

This project is both historical recovery and visual storytelling, restoring a photographer’s legacy and bringing her powerful images into the public record.

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More updates coming soon.